Actor Jonathan Majors has been ordered to finish a year-long counselling program however averted jail time Monday for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in a high-profile case that derailed the once-promising star’s profession.

The 34-year-old star of Creed III and different movies had confronted as much as a yr behind bars after he was convicted of misdemeanor assault by a Manhattan jury in December.

In courtroom Monday, Choose Michael Gaffey sentenced Majors to conditional discharge after noting that either side within the case agreed the fees didn’t warrant jail time, given the actor was a first-time offender with no prior prison document.

He stated Majors should full a 52-week, in-person batterer’s intervention program in Los Angeles, the place the actor lives. He additionally has to proceed with the psychological well being remedy his legal professionals say he is been taking part in. Majors faces a yr in jail if present in violation of the phrases, which additionally included a no-contact order with his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.

Majors, wearing all black and accompanied by his girlfriend, actor Meagan Good, declined to deal with the courtroom and left the courthouse with out talking to reporters.

His lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, stated the actor didn’t need to make any public assertion that Jabbari might use towards him within the civil go well with she’s filed towards the actor.

Majors, she added, is “dedicated to rising as an individual” and will full any court-mandated applications “with an open coronary heart” at the same time as he maintains his innocence and plans to attraction.

“He is misplaced his complete profession,” Chaudhry stated in courtroom. “This has been essentially the most difficult yr of his life.”

However Jabbari, preventing again tears as she addressed the courtroom, stated Majors refuses to acknowledge his guilt and stays a hazard to these round him.

“He is not sorry. He has not accepted duty, ” she stated. “He’ll do that once more and he’ll harm different ladies. He believes he’s above the regulation.”

Jabbari stated Majors had made her consider the 2 had been in a loving relationship, however, in actuality, he remoted her from the remainder of the world and minimize her off from household and associates.

“I used to be so emotionally depending on him,” she stated. “I grew to become a distinct individual round him — small, scared and weak.”

‘Excessive-powered PR marketing campaign’

Moderately than acknowledge his actions, Majors has been brazenly vital of the courtroom proceedings, launching a “high-powered PR marketing campaign” that included a nationally televised interview, stated Assistant District Lawyer Kelli Galloway as she argued for a sentence of violence counselling for Majors.

Following the December responsible verdict, Majors was instantly dropped by Marvel Studios, which had solid him as Kang the Conqueror, a task envisioned as the primary villain within the leisure empire’s films and tv exhibits for years to come back.

The conviction stemmed from an altercation final March by which Jabbari accused him of attacking her within the backseat of a chauffeured automotive, saying he hit her head with his open hand, twisted her arm behind her again and squeezed her center finger till it fractured.

Majors claimed the 31-year-old British dancer was the aggressor, flying right into a jealous rage after studying a textual content message from one other lady on his cellphone. He maintained he was solely attempting to regain his cellphone and get away from Jabbari safely.

Majors had hoped his two-week prison trial would vindicate him. In a tv interview shortly after his conviction, he stated he deserves a second likelihood.

However the California native and Yale College graduate nonetheless faces Jabbari’s civil go well with, which she filed final month in Manhattan federal courtroom. Jabbari accuses Majors of assault, battery, defamation and inflicting emotional misery, claiming he subjected her to escalating incidents of bodily and verbal abuse throughout their relationship. The 2 met in 2021 on the set of Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, by which Majors performed Kang.

Majors’ legal professionals have declined to reply to the claims, saying solely that they’re making ready to file counterclaims towards Jabbari.

Marvel woes

The actor had his breakthrough function in 2019’s The Final Black Man in San Francisco. He additionally starred within the HBO horror collection Lovecraft Nation, which earned him an Emmy nomination, and as the nemesis to fictional boxing champ Adonis Creed within the blockbuster Creed III.

As for Marvel, a looming query stays whether or not the studio will recast the function of Kang or pivot in a brand new route.

Majors’s departure was amongst a latest collection of high-profile setbacks for the vaunted superhero manufacturing unit, which has earned an unprecedented $30 billion US worldwide from 33 movies.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks’ curler coaster season has hit its nadir with the playoffs lower than two weeks away.

The Bucks have misplaced 4 straight video games and 6 of their previous seven. They’re 15-17 underneath coach Doc Rivers after going 32-14 earlier than his arrival.

Though Milwaukee (47-31) has a one-game lead over the Orlando Magic (46-32) and New York Knicks (46-32) within the race for the No. 2 seed within the Jap Convention playoffs behind the Boston Celtics, the Bucks might be dealing with one other early exit in the event that they don’t flip issues round.

“Undoubtedly not a great feeling,” two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo mentioned Sunday after the Bucks’ 122-109 loss to the New York Knicks. “Form of the surroundings on the staff doesn’t really feel proper.”

Antetokounmpo then went into extra element concerning his remark in regards to the surroundings.

“Whenever you lose video games, you don’t really feel good,” he mentioned. “You’re not completely satisfied. In case you return residence, you can not sit down and watch Amazon Prime and be relaxed and revel in your steak (or) some guys who drink, drink your wine or beer or no matter they drink. Or in my case, do my Legos. When I attempt to put my Legos in place, I’m extra annoyed and I’m hurting my fingers and stuff. That’s what I imply by the surroundings not feeling good.

“We’re not a dropping staff. We don’t have that mentality. That’s not in us.”

The Bucks have been via loads of upheaval ever since they’d the league’s greatest regular-season report final yr, however misplaced to the Miami Warmth within the first spherical of the playoffs.

They fired coach Mike Budenholzer and bought star guard Damian Lillard. Budenholzer was changed by Adrian Griffin, who acquired dismissed halfway via the season regardless of having a 30-13 report. Joe Prunty went 2-1 as an interim head coach earlier than Rivers got here aboard.

The teaching change was a sign the Bucks weren’t glad with their struggles on protection and uncomfortably shut wins over dropping groups throughout Griffin’s temporary tenure. However the inconsistency has continued underneath Rivers.

The Bucks misplaced seven of Rivers’ first 10 video games. They received six straight after the All-Star break. Now they’re slumping once more.

“These are the moments the place you discover out who’s an actual one and who’s not, as a result of all people’s going to be saying unfavourable stuff, how improper it’s and the way unhealthy it’s,” Lillard mentioned. “You may fold or not fold. That’s what we’re going to study ourselves going into the playoffs, based mostly on the expertise we’re having proper now.”

Any comparability of the data underneath Griffin and Rivers ought to point out the extenuating circumstances.

Milwaukee’s schedule acquired considerably more durable after the teaching change. Sunday’s loss to the Knicks marked simply the fourth time up to now 29 video games that Antetokounmpo, Lillard and three-time All-Star Khris Middleton have been all out there, and Middleton left after getting hit within the mouth halfway via the second quarter. These three gamers have been collectively for about two-thirds of the pre-Rivers video games, although Middleton was on a minutes restriction for a lot of of them.

However even with out all of their prime gamers, the Bucks have way more expertise than the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. All three of these groups have crushed the Bucks over the previous week.

“This staff is simply too gifted, for my part, to undergo this, regardless of who’s been out and in,” Rivers mentioned. “Each staff has guys out. I’ve acquired to determine that out.”

Reserve guard Pat Connaughton mentioned after the loss to the Raptors that the Bucks wanted to play with extra pleasure. Antetokounmpo agreed with that evaluation Sunday.

“It’s virtually like we’re going via the motions,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “We’ve acquired to seek out that pleasure again. To ensure that us to seek out that pleasure again, we’ve acquired to maneuver the ball. … When all people touches the ball, all people has that vitality.”

The Bucks don’t have a lot time to seek out it earlier than the postseason. Milwaukee has simply 4 regular-season video games left, and all are towards playoff-bound groups. They host Boston on Tuesday and Orlando on Wednesday earlier than visiting Oklahoma Metropolis on Friday and Orlando on Sunday.

The Bucks are assured they’ll nonetheless flip it round due to how effectively they’ve performed after they’re at their greatest. The Bucks blew out Oklahoma Metropolis 118-93 simply earlier than the beginning of this tailspin.

“Everyone simply stored each other accountable (towards the Thunder),” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “I feel typically we simply don’t. We simply decide and select. However the perception is there. The assumption is there. However we’ve acquired to get higher. All through these 4 video games, 5 video games left, we’ve acquired to construct good habits. We’ve acquired to observe movie. We’ve acquired to spend time collectively. As a result of if we don’t, we’re most likely going to be in bother.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

It’s been three years since Billie Eilish launched a brand new album, however the wait is over: Hit Me Onerous and Gentle will arrive Could 17.

The album cowl options Eilish underwater, barefoot and sinking beneath a white picket door. In accordance with the discharge, Hit Me Onerous and Gentle is supposed to be listened to throughout — a cohesive physique of labor. “Not doing singles I wanna give it to you unexpectedly,” Eilish wrote on Instagram. “Finneas and I really couldn’t be extra happy with this album and we completely can’t wait so that you can hear it.”

The information arrives after Eilish teased new music on Instagram for a number of days, even including cryptic photos and phrases to the close-friends function on Instagram (which she made public). One story featured the album title partially tattooed on Eilish, whereas one other revealed glimpses of the album art work.

Hit Me Onerous and Gentle marks Eilish’s third album, following 2021’s Happier Than Ever and her 2019 star-making debut, When We All Fall Asleep, The place Do We Go? In February, Eilish revealed on social media that the follow-up to Happier Than Ever was mastered. Again in 2023, she confirmed she was engaged on new music through an interview with The Cookout. “There may be plenty of music coming,” she stated. “There’s a entire album of music coming. We’re within the remaining phases of constructing it, in order that doesn’t imply it’s about to come back out, however it’s getting there, and it’s very thrilling.”

Although the album marks Eilish’s first full-length in three years, she’s launched new music since Happier Than Ever. In 2022, she surprise-released the EP Guitar Songs (which contained the 2 tracks “TV” and “The thirtieth”). And final 12 months, she contributed the tear-jerker “What Was I Made For?” to the Barbie soundtrack, which turned an enormous hit. The ballad gained Tune of the 12 months on the 2024 Grammys and took dwelling Finest Authentic Tune on the Academy Awards, the latter making her the youngest individual to ever win two Oscars (she and Finneas first took dwelling the award in 2021 for the James Bond theme “No Time to Die”).

Hit Me Onerous and Gentle shall be out there in a number of vinyl codecs on launch day, that includes the identical observe itemizing and fabricated from recyclable supplies. Final week, Eilish spoke to Billboard concerning the music business’s lack of sustainability practices; she then clarified her feedback that she wasn’t singling an artist out.

“With regards to variants, so many artists launch them — together with ME!” she wrote. “Which I clearly state within the article. The local weather disaster is now, and it’s about all of us being a part of the issue and making an attempt to do higher. Sheesh.”

The place will you be be watching the overall photo voltaic eclipse?

The extremely anticipated day has arrived and watch events are deliberate throughout Montreal for residents to expertise the uncommon celestial occasion collectively on April 8 — seize your eclipse glasses, and luxuriate in watching the moon cross straight in entrance of the solar, blocking it to create a day-turns-to-night phenomenon.

When you can watch the present by yourself, listed below are some occasions within the metropolis:

McGill College

The Trottier House Institute and the Division of Physics on the McGill campus are internet hosting an Eclipse Truthful and Viewing Social gathering. From 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. there can be cubicles for all ages to discover the science behind eclipses, hands-on actions, and demos. The occasion is free, open to most people, and free eclipse glasses can be offered.

When: 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The place: McGill Campus, Decrease Subject (to the suitable of the Roddick Gates) | 859 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal

Parc Jean-Drapeau

“All collectively for a once-in-a-lifetime occasion,” writes Parc Jean-Drapeau on their web site. They invite Montrealers to hitch them for the distinctive occasion as we speak at Espace 67 that can characteristic musicians and consultants. Festivities start at 11 a.m. and free protecting eclipse eyeglasses can be handed out on-site.

When: Beginning at 11 a.m.

The place: Parc Jean-Drapeau (They strongly suggest utilizing the metro to get to parc Jean-Drapeau and buying round-trip fare prematurely.)

Montreal Science Museum

The Science Centre can be a free official viewing location as we speak. “Watching an eclipse collectively makes it all of the extra memorable,” writes the centre on their occasion web page. Everyone seems to be invited to collect in entrance of the constructing to observe the eclipse occur proper above the town. Free eclipse glasses can be obtainable, together with particular actions and contests.

When: Beginning at 1 p.m.

The place: The Montréal Science Centre 

Quartier des spectacles

The Quartier des spectacles can be crammed with music being performed by means of audio system in the course of the eclipse. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) has produced a playlist on Spotify that synchronizes with the phases of the eclipse — you may hearken to the playlist anyplace too, they suggest beginning it at 2:14 p.m. for a singular expertise.

When: 2:14 p.m.

The place: Quartier des spectacles

The overall photo voltaic eclipse will occur at round 3:27 p.m. and is predicted to final solely a couple of minute-and-a-half. 

These wanting to observe the overall photo voltaic eclipse ought to discover themselves a pair of protecting eclipse eyeglasses as wanting straight into the solar could cause everlasting eye injury, consultants have mentioned. 

The eclipse will be considered in several elements of Montreal, however areas just like the East finish and even Laval received’t expertise the day-turns-to-night phenomenon.

Purposes akin to My Eclipse can let you know if you can be within the complete photo voltaic eclipse zone and the way lengthy it would final for a particular location.

Joyful viewing!

As anticipated, Billie Eilish has formally introduced her third full-length album: “‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,’ MY THIRD ALBUMMMMMMMMMMMMM COMES OUT MAY 17THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHH,” she wrote in an emoji-loaded social media publish accompanied by a photograph of the album’s cowl, which options Eilish underwater, swimming towards an open white door. “So loopy to be penning this proper now i’m nervyyyyy & exciteddd. Not doing singles i wanna give it to you abruptly. Finneas and i really couldn’t be extra happy with this album and we completely can’t wait so that you can hear it. Love you’re keen on you’re keen on you.”

The album’s official press announcement was accompanied by a brand new picture of Eilish underwater, just like the album cowl:

The album’s controversial title — which, not like the all-lowercase kind Eilish has used in recent times, is in all-caps like her earlier releases — is at the least partially defined in a press announcement that adopted her publish: “The album does precisely because the title suggests: hits you laborious and comfortable each lyrically and sonically whereas bending genres and defying traits alongside the best way. ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’ journeys by way of an unlimited and expansive audio panorama, immersing listeners right into a full spectrum of feelings. It’s what the a number of Grammy and Academy Award winner does greatest, persevering with to affirm Billie Eilish as the most enjoyable songwriter of her time.” 

As normal, the album was written by Eilish and her brother and musical collaborator Finneas, who additionally produced the album. 

The announcement notes that the album can be out there on all digital platforms, and, reflecting Eilish’s latest feedback concerning the environmental wastefulness of bodily product equivalent to vinyl, provides, “In a continued effort to reduce waste and fight local weather change; throughout all bodily codecs in restricted variants on the identical day, with the identical track-listing and utilizing 100% recyclable supplies. For extra info on all sustainable practices for this album launch, please go to the official web site.” The hyperlink results in an in depth rationalization of the album’s manufacturing course of.

Eilish has been talking concerning the album for a number of weeks, and least week teased the album with a sequence of billboards in main cities internationally. The billboards didn’t characteristic the Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist’s title however did embody her acquainted “blohsh” image and what look like lyric snippets saying issues like “Did I cross the road?,” “I attempt to stay in black and white” and “She’s the headlights I’m the deer.”

Eilish’s group used an identical tactic in 2021 to tease the discharge of her second full-length, “Fortunately Ever After.”

Whereas Eilish and her brother/musical collaborator Finneas spent many of the previous few months on an exhaustive awards marketing campaign selling “What Was I Made For?,” their track from the blockbuster “Barbie” movie and soundtrack, they haven’t launched a brand new album since “Fortunately Ever After” in July of 2021, though they’ve toured and launched different materials.

Eilish confirmed late in February that her new album has been mastered, which is the often final step earlier than an album is manufactured and despatched to streaming providers.

She and Finneas have stated that writing “What Was I Made For?” opened up the floodgates after a logjam they’d been experiencing in arising with materials for Eilish’s third full album.

 “There’s a entire album of music coming,” Eilish stated in September. “We’re within the last phases of creating it, in order that doesn’t imply it’s about to return out, however it’s getting there and it’s very thrilling.”

Individuals who descended on southern Quebec from afar for a view of Monday’s whole photo voltaic eclipse have been rewarded with good viewing situations for what many described as an emotional expertise.

One of many province’s most prized viewing factors was Mont-Mégantic provincial park in Quebec’s Jap Townships, a dark-sky protect that has been getting ready for greater than a yr for Monday’s cosmic spectacle. It had made 2,500 tickets accessible for guests, they usually have been rapidly snapped up.

Simply earlier than totality hit the park at round 3:30 p.m., organizers requested individuals to show off their telephones and look to the sky.

“I cried. I used to be shaking, it’s distinctive,” stated Mira Cadotte Lachance, a instructor, as she pointed to Venus and Jupiter, which shone within the sky. “I contemplate myself privileged to expertise this second.”

Benoît Reeves, a scientific communicator and son of late Canadian astrophysicist Hubert Reeves, travelled from Paris to Quebec simply to see the eclipse.

Individuals watch the photo voltaic eclipse at Parc Jean Drapeau, in Montreal, Monday, April 8, 2024. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press)

He organizes astronomy journeys in France round phenomena resembling comets and eclipses. He could not go up an opportunity to see a complete eclipse in individual once more, particularly with the centre of the trail of totality passing nearly proper over Mont-Mégantic.

“As a result of I’ve already witnessed eclipses and it was so transferring — such a strong feeling — that, properly, I’ve to return,” Reeves stated. “It is like an habit.”

“As a result of I’ve already witnessed eclipses and it was so transferring, such a strong feeling that, properly, I’ve to return,” Reeves stated. “It is like an habit.”

The sky above the area about 200 kilometres east of Montreal was forecast to be clear, as the trail of totality travels over Mont Mégantic between 3:28 p.m. and three:32 p.m.

The totality part of a complete photo voltaic eclipse is seen at Parc Jean Drapeau, in Montreal, Monday, April 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

In Montreal, viewing occasions are going down on the Previous Port, Université de Montréal’s CEPSUM stadium, on the campus of McGill College and at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the place 1000’s gathered forward of the occasion.

Michelle Crotteau, of Broadway, Va., was marking an eclipse-themed sixtieth birthday at Parc Jean-Drapeau. Crotteau stated she witnessed a complete eclipse in 2017 in Tennessee and wished to be in Montreal to expertise it as soon as once more.

“I believe it’s totally religious for me, and it simply makes me really feel a part of the universe in a really particular manner,” Crotteau stated, sporting a T-shirt that learn “totality my sixtieth birthday.”

Roger and Sandra Kirkham, from the British island of Jersey, off the French coast, have been in Montreal celebrating their twenty fifth marriage ceremony anniversary and admitted they hadn’t recognized concerning the eclipse till not too long ago.

In downtown Montreal, individuals gathered on rooftops and loud cheers echoed by way of the streets because the sky darkened and temperatures dipped. 1000’s gathered within the metropolis’s Previous Port, filling a waterfront park beneath clear skies that provided an unobstructed view of the solar.

As the sunshine pale within the moments earlier than totality, avenue lights got here on and a string of lights at a restaurant throughout the road from the Previous Port lit up. A ship within the river sounded its horn and the group cheered once more. Because the solar re-emerged, one other cheer went up.

“It was really magnificent, an awe-inspiring expertise,” stated Gabrielle Gauthier. “I liked it,” chimed in her daughter, Alyssa, 7.

Gauthier stated the expertise was one that may make individuals assume extra concerning the world.

“It’s a studying alternative for kids,” she stated. “It’s vital for them to see issues like this, as a result of it goes a bit past what they will study in books, or at school, to expertise an occasion like this. I believe it can stick with us.”

Because the partial eclipse progressed, tens of 1000’s gathered at Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau turned their gaze skyward, donning their eclipse glasses.

Some additionally common their very own distinctive security lenses. Lewis Mackay reworked a wormhole-shaped novelty popcorn bucket made for the second “Dune” film into an eclipse field. Others punched holes into items of paper to function makeshift pinhole cameras.

Michelle Crotteau, of Broadway, Va., was marking an eclipse-themed sixtieth birthday on the park. Crotteau stated she witnessed a complete eclipse in 2017 in Tennessee and wished to be in Montreal to expertise it as soon as once more.

“I believe it’s totally religious for me, and it simply makes me really feel a part of the universe in a really particular manner,” Crotteau stated, sporting a T-shirt that learn, “Totality my sixtieth birthday.”

Len Seals, an optical engineer at NASA who labored on the James Webb House Telescope, travelled to Montreal from Washington, D.C. to see the eclipse along with his spouse and two youngsters. He could not go up an opportunity to see the pure phenomenon because it occurs, in individual.

“I’m used to taking a look at issues by way of a pc display screen and seeing pictures, however not with my very own eyes. That’s all the time a special expertise,” stated Seals as he waited for the eclipse in Previous Montreal.

Ralph Bschor, who witnessed a complete eclipse in 2003, travelled from Germany to Montreal for the possibility to see one once more. “The second is improbable, when it is getting darkish and the birds cease,” he stated.

Again in Mont Mégantic, about 200 kilometres east of Montreal, cheers, screams and smiles washed over the group.

“It was shining like a diamond, phrases can’t relate my feelings,” stated Chantale Lapointe, who obtained a ticket as a birthday current. “It’s probably the most lovely reward my youngsters may give me. I didn’t assume I’d bawl.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 8, 2024.

— With information from Sidhartha Banerjee in Montreal and Stéphane Blais in Mont-Mégantic, Que. 

Now that we’ve averted catastrophe, again to who replaces John Calipari.

It’s no secret that many round Kentucky wish to see Nate Oats as the subsequent head coach. After guiding the Alabama Crimson Tide to their first-ever Closing 4 berth, Oats is about as sizzling of a candidate as there may be outdoors of Dan Hurley.

Nevertheless, there’s been some uncertainty about whether or not Kentucky is excited about Oats, a giant cause being his reported $18 million buyout to pry him from Alabama. And that’s earlier than he indicators a contract doubtless paying him north of $8 million yearly.

So, to no shock, Nate Oats to Kentucky isn’t occurring, and he confirmed as a lot Monday on Twitter.

The 49-year-old Oats has been a rising star within the faculty ranks since taking on at Buffalo in 2015. In his 4 seasons with the Bulls, he received the MAC Match thrice and claimed a pair of NCAA Match wins, most notably over 4-seed Arizona in 2018.

At Alabama, he’s led the Tide to a 117–54 by 5 seasons and is coming off a Closing 4 berth. That got here after a 31-6 season the prior yr that ended with a Candy 16 loss to San Diego State.

Oats isn’t the one one saying no to Kentucky.

Previous to Monday’s NCAA Nationwide Championship, CBS commentator Jay Wright gave a definitive “no” when requested about doubtlessly popping out of retirement for Kentucky.

Wright was at all times a longshot, much more so than Oats. Whereas he’s a Corridor of Fame coach, it’s been fairly evident that the 62-year-old Wright is completely satisfied in retirement and never prepared to leap again into a university panorama that he was already rising uninterested in earlier than NIL turned an enormous ordeal.

So there’s two off the board.

Topline

Rapper J. Cole mentioned dropping his diss observe towards Kendrick Lamar was the “lamest, goofiest sh*t,” Sunday, sparking combined reactions from different artists for backing down from a feud that escalated after Lamar took pictures at each him and Drake on his verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s tune, “Like That.”

Key Info

Chief Critics

J. Cole’s choice to disavow his diss observe was met with some important reactions from different artists, together with rapper Mick Jenkins, who tweeted: “As a. rappers rapper [sic]. As a competitor. I’m stunned. I’m disgusted. I’m dissatisfied,” including in a follow-up post he desires to see rappers that declare to be the most effective “to rap prefer it when they’re challenged.” Nigerian rapper Blaqbonez tweeted that J. Cole “damage me, damage us.” Comic Lil Duval criticized J. Cole for backing down, tweeting: “The entire cause we favored the Kendrick and j Cole [sic] beef was as a result of we knew it was pleasant competitors. No one noticed it as unhealthy power or unfavourable.”

Contra

Singer Ari Lennox, who’s signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Data, supported the rapper in a touch upon his Instagram. “You’re so actual. I recognize the human you might be. I love your self consciousness and your self reflection,” Lennox wrote, including that he “made historical past tonight.” “The Breakfast Membership” radio host Charlamagne tha God mentioned on his Monday morning present that the rap fan in him understands why followers are dissatisfied in J. Cole’s response, however mentioned it takes a “actual human to verify himself,” including folks “need a man to assault a person to your leisure as a result of we’re a tradition that feeds off battle.”

Key Background

Lamar appeared to name out each Drake and J. Cole in his verse on “Like That,” which dropped in March and debuted at No. 1 on final week’s Billboard Scorching 100. In a earlier collaboration between Drake and J. Cole, “First Individual Shooter,” J. Cole declared himself, Drake and Lamar to be the “huge three” of recent rap. However on “Like That,” Lamar rejected the thought of a “huge three,” stating there’s simply “huge me.” The disses have been the most recent in a long-running beef between Drake and Lamar, whom followers consider have taken refined pictures at one another of their songs a number of instances over the previous decade.

Tangent

Earlier than J. Cole backtracked from “7 Minute Drill,” music critics and different artists criticized the rap. Rapper and podcast host Joe Budden known as J. Cole’s tone “narcoleptic,” suggesting it might’ve been a greater rap if he had sounded “alive.” In a evaluate of the observe, Rolling Stone author Andre Gee mentioned J. Cole introduced a “knife to a gunfight,” suggesting the lyrics weren’t aggressive sufficient to fulfill followers. Pitchfork critic Alphonse Pierre asserted that “rap beef is simply not for J. Cole,” stating he “doesn’t have the center for the mendacity, disrespect, and animosity it requires to make an efficient diss observe.” Billboard additionally accused J. Cole’s rap of falling flat, stating the observe “by no means crosses the traces that must be crossed.”

Additional Studying

J. Cole Releases Kendrick Lamar Diss ‘7 Minute Drill’ Amid Beef Involving Drake (Forbes)

J. Cole’s Response Is Good, However It’s Not Sufficient (Billboard)

Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Like That’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Scorching 100 (Billboard)

Nate Oats coached Alabama basketball to its first Ultimate 4 look this season.

After dropping to No. 1 total seed UConn, Oats was emotional and promised Alabama followers that “we’re not completed.” Nevertheless, neither that assertion — nor the actual fact Oats signed an extension with Alabama lower than a month in the past — has stopped musings that he would probably match at Kentucky following John Calipari’s reportedly taking the Arkansas job from working rampant.

REQUIRED READING:`Inside Nate Oats’ long-winding journey to the Ultimate 4

Oats, 49, led the Crimson Tide to SEC Event championships in 2021 and 2023 and has produced six NBA draft picks — together with No. 2 total choose Brandon Miller in 2023 — making him an attractive match for the Wildcat’ basketball-first program.

Oats signed his first contract extension in February 2023, and one other on March 18, after his title was floated for quite a few nationally outstanding jobs, together with Ohio State and Michigan. The newest extension runs by March 14, 2030 and features a hefty buyout, a instrument Alabama hoped would hold away potential suitors.

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA event brackets, scores, schedules, groups and extra.

“We have this system headed in the appropriate path,” Oats stated after signing the extension. “We have the dedication from the administration that they’ll proceed to help us in the way in which I really feel like we will compete to be a prime 10, prime 25 crew year-in and year-out. I respect their help in protecting me right here, take my title out of a few of the different job openings which might be there. In all probability not nice timing with this loss tonight.”

This is all the things to find out about Oats’ contract, together with his buyout:

Nate Oats wage

At $6.275 million, Oats’ contract ties him for tied for third amongst school basketball’s highest-paid coaches amongst public college coaches. He is making the identical compensation as Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and solely trails Kansas’ Invoice Self ($9.14 million) and Kentucky’s Calipari’s previous contract ($8.6 million). Calipari’s new deal is value reportedly value $7.5 to $8 million.

In common annual wage (AAV), Oats is fourth, making $6.275 million. He trails solely Self ($9.265 million), Calipari ($8.9 million), and Pearl ($6.525 million). Earlier than the extension, Oats ranked No. 10 amongst coaches with a wage of $4.53 million this previous season.

Nate Oats buyout

If Oats have been to go away Alabama within the first two years of his contract, he would owe the college $18 million. After March 31, 2026, the buyout falls to $10 million for one yr till March 31, 2027. The buyout is $4 million for the next season and $0 afterward.

However, despite the fact that Oats’ contract is 100% assured, if Alabama fired him, he must make a “affordable and good religion effort” to pursue one other head teaching place with a median annual wage equal to or better than $3.5 million, per particulars of his contract.

Nate Oats report

• Profession report: 213-97
• Buffalo (2015-19): 96-43
• Alabama (2019-present): 117-54